Taylor felt unsupported

Wellington

ROSS Taylor says being stripped of the New Zealand cricket captaincy was inevitable in light of his dysfunctional relationship with coach Mike Hesson. He just didn't think it would happen so quickly.

Taylor said his decision to pull out of the tour of South Africa this month and turn down an offer to remain as Test skipper was hard but made for the benefit of himself and the team.

Brendon McCullum will lead the Black Caps in all three forms of the game after strained relations between Taylor and Hesson reached a public conclusion on Friday.

Taylor said he felt he had no support from the team management since Hesson replaced John Wright.

''With everything that had happened, I didn't think I was able to give 100 per cent,'' he said.

Taylor and Hesson never clicked, Taylor said. ''After my first meeting with the guy as coach, my dad asked me what I thought. I said, 'I don't think I'll be in the job longer than 12 months.' I was wrong - it was six months.''

He was disappointed Hesson had told him about his captaincy intentions just four days out from the first Test against Sri Lanka last month and found it hard to keep the news private from teammates except close friend Martin Guptill.